It is amazing that I am already doing a week 5 update. It is also scary at how fast my summer is flying by. The Book-A-Day Challenge is being hosted by Donalyn Miller, teacher extraordinaire and a write to boot. I have been linking to her original challenge but she recently posted an her own update which included a list to the blogs of others participating in the challenge. You can find it here. It has been fun seeing what everyone is reading for Book-A-Day. Lots of wonderful books.

I have to confess that this was not one of my best reading weeks. It was a busy week with lots of commitments that left little time for reading. Since I knew it was going to be a slow reading week, I stocked up on graphic novels, manga, and picture books.

Book-A-Day Week 5 Reads:

Picture Books

It's A Book by Lane Smith (Advanced Readers Copy) This picture book will be out in the fall. It is hysterical! One character is very technology savvy. The other is partial to traditional books. The dialogue between the two is hilarious. Check out Amazon's page for the trailer. Note: Some parents may not appreciate the use of "jacka**" in the book. You will have to read it and determine its appropriateness for your class.

Mirror, Mirror! A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer This is a beautiful and amazing book. Filled with two page spreads that incorporate stunning illustrations and reversible text that provides two sides for every featured fairy tale. For my review, click here

Alfred Zector, Book Collector by Kelly DiPucchio Alfred as a young boy sets out to collect every book in the town and then to read every book. In the end, he learns a lesson that reading books is good but sharing them is even better.

Non-fiction Picture Books

Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog by Adrienne Sylver I love finding creative non-fiction picture books to use with upper grade elementary students. This one covers the history of the hot dog. For my review, click here.

Graphic Novels:

Flight Explore, Vol. 1 by Kazu Kibuishi This is Kibuishi's Middle Grade version of his Flight series. I enjoyed the collection of stories included in this volume and hope that more will be coming. For my review, click here.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home (Season 8 Vol. 1) by Joss Whedon This is Whedon's first attempt at writing a graphic novel and also a chance to continue the Buffy Series after it went off the air. It benefits the reader if you are familiar with the series. Though it is a little "clunky", I did enjoy it and have been promised by friends that subsequent volumes improve. (Note: This would be considered YA and up).

Manga

Death Note Vol. 1 Boredom by Tsugumi Obba A bright but bored teen discovers a Death Notebook left intentionally by a death god. Light (main character) attempts to create an utopia using the notebook. The dialogue between Light and Ryuk (death god) is probably the best part of the book. Not sure Manga is really my thing but this was interesting.

YA

Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony This has been on my TBR list since before it was released and is part of my list of books for the 2010 Debut Author Challenge. Considered a dystopian novel (and it does have many elements of a dystopian novel) it is very different from something like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. For my review, click here.

All in all, still a pretty good reading week. What have you been reading this summer? Share your thoughts in the comment section.